THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, January 14, 1997 TAG: 9701140407
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B7 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Metro briefs
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 28 lines
Former School Board member Charles W. Vincent was ordered Monday to pay $1,800 in fines stemming from his conviction almost two years ago of misdemeanor ethics violations.
Payment of the fine had been delayed until Vincent had exhausted his appeals, according to Commonwealth's Attorney Robert J. Humphreys. The Court of Appeals upheld Vincent's conviction and the Virginia Supreme Court declined to hear the case.
Vincent lost his board seat in February 1995 after being convicted of violations for seeking contributions from architectural and engineering firms who were pursuing contracts from the school district. He was raising money to pay back campaign debt.
Vincent's attorney argued that such campaign solicitations were common in elections and did not break the law. A jury, however, convicted Vincent of all nine counts and fined him $1,800, $200 for each count.
The precedent-setting case marked the first time in the city's history that an elected official was forced from office and the first time in the state that one was prosecuted under that ethics code.
KEYWORDS: VIRGINIA BEACH SCHOOL BOARD VIRGINIA BEACH SCHOOLS
MISDEMEANOR CONVICTION FINE APPEAL CHALES W. VINCENT